Career Changer
Cal Knight was a good Doctor, he had an instinct that made him good and knack for putting patients at ease.
Ethan Hardy was also a good Doctor, his study of books and all things medical made him good, although he was awkward with patients he quickly diagnosed and healed them
Brothers, Family, Doctors….. The same yet different
While Cal was quick and always wanting to move on to the next patient whilst being professional and compliant, Ethan was more thorough, he would look at all the possible diagnosis and work down the list double checking before diagnosing the patient, taking time.
To learn where these differences arose maybe it would help to take a look into the past into Cal and Ethan's childhood, where their careers were already taking seed and growing, a family that had their own troubles. A family that above all else protected each other. A family that had up until Ethan was involved in a car crash a few weeks ago had fallen apart, drifted.
Let's take a look at where it all began.
8 year old Cal tried to get comfortable on the hard, cold plastic of the hospital chair, turning his body for what felt like the hundredth time, he risked a glance up at his mother who had a worried look on her face, they both jumped when the door was opened and doctor in a white coat came in
"Mrs. Hardy?" his mother nodded and stood up to shale the doctors offered hand before speaking
"How is he Dr, How is my little boy?
The Dr motioned for them all to sit down and smiled at Cal before answering
"You must Cal? " Cal nodded frowning at how this doctor knew his name
The doctor laughed "Ethan has a lot to say about his bug brother, in fact when I left he was sitting up and asking for you, how about you and see him whilst your mother and I talk"
Cal nodded eagerly wanting to see that Ethan was ok for himself but stopped before going through the door when the doctors began to speak
"Caleb before you go earlier today or in school maybe do you know if Ethan had a fall and banged his head?"
Caleb gave a quick glance at his mother who gave a small shake of her head that the doctor didn't see and Caleb sighed before answering
"I'm sorry I'm not aware that he has, I picked him up from school and I asked if he'd had a good day and we talked but he didn't mention a fall, we went home and then later he got unwell and started fitting"
The doctor nodded and gave Caleb a big smile "ok champ go see Ethan he was asking to see you constantly when he woke up"
When Caleb got to Ethan's cubicle he could his brother speaking to the nurse asking for Caleb and Cal could hear in his voice he was upset, he took a deep breath and walked in
When Ethan turned it took a second for him to see Cal then he was in his arms sobbing
Cal struggled under the weight of the 5 year old and with the help of the nurse settled on the bed with Ethan tucked into his side he began to stroke Ethan's hair and speak to him
"Doctor said you were really brave Eth, Why are you crying now, are you in pain?"
Ethan shook his head and burrowed into Cal's side before speaking "I was scared I woke up and they said I hadn't been well but I felt fine, and I didn't know where I was or where you were and they were shining lights into my eyes and, and…."
"You were ill Ethan, but it's ok the doctor's made you better and I'm here now and mum is just talking to the doctor, and then maybe we can go home ok"
Ethan nodded and they both sat in silence until the doctor entered with their mother. Cal let go of Ethan as his mother came in and took his place by Ethan's side, Ethan moved over but held tight to Cal's hand not ready to let go yet.
His mother started to speak and Cal felt his heart drop
"Ethan, I don't know how much you remember of tonight but this doctor seems to think you have what they call Childhood Epilepsy, children can grow out of this but there is no way of knowing if or when this will happen, so what this means is every now and then you will have what they call a fit"
Ethan had begun to look scared and Cal instinctively stood closer to him placing a hand around his shoulders, at 8 years old he didn't fully understand what 'childhood epilepsy' meant he only knew that his brother had it and that he didn't like the sound of not knowing when Ethan may have a fit. He knew that however scared he was feeling his little brother was more scared and needed him to be strong
Ethan tried to be brave and succeeded up until his mother mentioned fitting and taking tablets everyday he shook his head no and backed away from his mother getting closer to Cal
Cal stepped up and spoke to Ethan trying to make it a game for him
"Hey Eth, with taking all those tablets who knows maybe you'll get a super hero power wouldn't that be cool, I think I'd want to be able to fly huh, what would you like?"
Ethan stopped crying and looked at Cal in awe "you think that could happen? I'd want to be able to go invisible"
Cal laughed "yeah I bet so you could sneak passed mum and get into the cookies huh?"
Ethan laughed and for the moment the crisis was over Cal continued to distract Ethan while his mother spoke to the doctors and got the tablets Ethan needed.
Cal swore that he would do whatever he needed to do so that he could help his brother when he had a 'fit' he also swore to never let his little brother alone with their dad again, for even though his mum had said no to tell he would never forget his brother being thrown against the wall and the sound his head made as it collided with the table on landing, nor the look on Ethan's face as he began to fit.
Ethan although scared accepted that his life would never be the same in a way that only a child could, he also accepted it knowing that his older brother would be by his side.
As they were leaving Cal asked the big kindly doctor a question "Can you fix him?" The doctor smiled at him answering "we can try"
Cal gave a firm nod and spoke quietly so only the doctor could here "I'm going to find a cure for this one day, and I will be a doctor and help my brother"
With that one sentence Caleb unwittingly cemented their careers, for Cal would become a good doctor, specializing in epilepsy and going on to save his brother's life when he is hurt in an accident and Ethan well Ethan will follow in his hero's footsteps.
For now they were just brothers one older and one younger different yet the same, but their lives would change forever today.
So guys I'm back. So sorry I haven't written anything for a while, I've been reading all the Ethan and Cal stores you guys have been writing and their all fantastic. My life kinda got crazy for a while there but it has quietened down now so I should have some free time to write. This will probably be a multi chapter story, but I'm not completely happy with it so I'll leave it up to you guys to decide for.
Remember I love reviews
